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Thu 22 Jul 2021 16:49
More advice from the experts - Older99

You were all so helpful when I asked about getting a car on finance for my daughter that she has decided to pay up to £5k which she saved for a used car rather than any sort of finance so thanks to everyone

She has taken a brief look and has narrowed down to the following..in order of what she really likes ( and before you maybe laugh she likes the Dacia and very low insurance/ tax for her and good MPG )

1. Dacia Sandero Stepway 0.9 ( 90BHP ) - 2014/2015 reg around £4800

2. Mazda 2 1.5 - 2010/11 reg , around £3000

3. Toyota Corolla 1.6 VVTi T3 - 2005/2006 around £2000

4. Citroen DS3 1.6 VTi - 2010/2011 around £3000

5. Ford Fiesta 1.6 Zetec - 2011 around £3500

6. Kia Rio 1.4s - 2011/2012 around £3500

Comments, Slurs, laughs ?

Cheers

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Thu 22 Jul 2021 17:24
More advice from the experts - _

6. Kia Rio 1.4s - 2011/2012 around £3500

Had a 2013 one ,

Great

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Thu 22 Jul 2021 17:49
More advice from the experts - badbusdriver

According to resident ex-motor trader SLO, the 0.9 turbo Renault engine in the Dacia isn't that reliable, so I'd discount that one (unless a new car under warranty).

Ditto the 1.6 in the Citroen DS3.

The rest are all fundamentally reliable, but obviously as cars age so problems car occur, especially after half a dozen or so uncaring owners. So tread very carefully and use the MOT history check.

Re the Kia Rio, 2011 will be the older shape. Plenty reliable, but cheap grey plastic inside and possibly rust prone underneath. Better to get 2012 onwards, nicer looking car, better made.

Also a bit perplexed why she'd be looking at a 16 year old Corolla for £2k if she can afford £5k?. That is enough to get into a 2011/2012 Auris with the same engine. Same for the others, while condition is certainly important, a well looked after 4-6 year old car is going to be a better buy than a well looked after 7-10 year old example of the same car.

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Thu 22 Jul 2021 18:02
More advice from the experts - Older99

Sorry about the slight confusion

The range of cars was more about the models than the price...you are quite right better to spend a bit more that £3k and get a new model

cheers for the advice

She will be very disappointed about the Dacia as that is her favourite !

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Thu 22 Jul 2021 18:50
More advice from the experts - badbusdriver

She will be very disappointed about the Dacia as that is her favourite !

That is a shame, but there are other engine options. The N/A 1.2 is no road burner, but it is a pretty reliable unit. Depending on usage, I'd also give serious consideration to the diesel, it is less troublesome than many.

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Thu 22 Jul 2021 21:56
More advice from the experts - joegrundy

My son bought a new 2015 Sandero 1.2 one up from basic (can't remember the model classification but it had radio, bluetooth, efw, etc.,) and ran it for 4.5 years. Only issue was a driveshaft oil seal minor leak which was picked upon service and fixed under warranty. Did 45k miles.

I was very impressed with it. Interior space was good for 4 adults, especially headroom, and it was versatile for cargo with folding seats. Interior was not plush but was durable and easily stood up to 2 small children and frequent days out to beach. G.ood economy

Performance was not wonderful - but if driven enthusiastically (which it seemed to relish) there was no problem keeping up with traffic and it was fun. These cars were designed for the French market (i.e motorways at 130 kmph) and in better days when on holiday in France I was frequently overtaken by Sanderos doing that and more.

Can't comment on the 0.9 turbo (except my friend had a Captur with this engine and was very dissappointed with it) and I wouldn't pay extra for the Stepway model which is exactly the same but raised a bit and plastic styling stuff.

Depends on your daughter's driving style, of course. As a town/city car with loads of space (Focus ish) . Out of town, it rewards enthusiastic dring and can be fun.

Just my thoughts.

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Fri 23 Jul 2021 03:54
More advice from the experts - edlithgow

I'm also a bit perplexed as to why, if one can afford £5k, one should feel obliged to spend it, nor do I see why "a well looked after 4-6 year old car is going to be a better buy than a well looked after 7-10 year old example of the same car."

A better bet, maybe, but if you have to take a punt (and you do) there is a lot to be said for more than halving the stake.

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Thu 22 Jul 2021 21:38
More advice from the experts - SLO76
At this money I’d buy on condition and history over anything else. I’d stick with non-turbo petrol engined superminis for the lowest insurance and general running costs.

Ford Fiesta 1.25 (don’t touch a diesel or the 1.0 Ecoboom, the 1.25 82PS goes well enough and are available in plentiful numbers unlike the 1.6 plus the sportier models are dearer to insure and often abused.
Toyota Yaris petrol (a Mk III is affordable at £5k and very dependable)
Mazda 2 1.3/1.5 (excellent wee cars and great value. No timing belt either)
Suzuki Swift 1.2 petrol (great fun to drive and cheap to own)
Kia Picanto (good fun and well made. Nicer car than an old model Rio)


I’d leave the Dacia other than a base model 1.2 and only then if it’s very low mileage. These are older gen Renaults and the quality isn’t great. They deteriorate rapidly past 4/5yrs and the TCe petrols are fragile. But I do see the appeal of the Logan estate or a one from base model Sandero 1.2

Edited by SLO76 on 22/07/2021 at 21:39

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Thu 22 Jul 2021 22:22
More advice from the experts - sammy1

No good having such a list too many options. Chose the favourite and go from there. Young I would go for a fun car MINI. Stacks to chose from and buy private. Been around a long time and easily serviced and maintained by any garage

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Thu 22 Jul 2021 22:59
More advice from the experts - joegrundy

PS: No idea of your daughter's requirements or useage.

I'm currently using a 2009 Hyundai i10 1.2 (£1450 with fsh and 54k miles). Had never considered one but ...

Fine for 4 adults. Good cargo room with back seats folded. £30 tavx, av 50 mpg. Very lively to drive and a decent cruiser (70 mph is c.3k revs with plenty to spare). Feels stable at higher speeds, but a bit noisy.

I have come to realise that the opportunities to drive at 70ish, let alone over that, are severely limited. Many smaller engined cars are perfectly capable of that (and much more) - cars that I may have previously discounted from consideration.

As a rule of thumb, I guess that an engine is more than happy (and may even benefit) being used towards the red line. On the i10, that's at 6.5k. I rarely take it over 5k (and that's quite spirited in such a light car) . Cruising at halfway towards the red line feels comfortable. I wonder whether that's better for the engine than never going over (say) 2k revs because that;s all it takes to achieve the speed limit?

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Thu 22 Jul 2021 23:30
More advice from the experts - joegrundy

PPS: One thing your daughter may wish to consider if she;s thinking of spending £5,000 on a car.

If she buys it privately, she has (effectively) no comeback. If she buys it from a dealer she has (theoretically) rights under CRA 2015 but they can be difficult to enforce especially if the dealer is a limited company and goes bust to avoid liability.

If she buys it from a dealer and uses a credit card for at least part of the price she has some protection under the CCA which makes the credit card company jointly/wholly liable.

For best protection, buy the car on a HP/PCP deal, even if you immediately pay it off with cash or a cheaper loan deal. If you buy a car on HP/PCP in law the supplier is the finance company (effectively the finance company buys the car from the dealer and supplies it to you). Thus you have no contract with the dealer and all your consumer rights are against the finance company. The finance company is regulated by the FCA and the FCA Ombudsman can and will determine your claim (but it can take some time).

Don't be taken in by 'Used Approved' schemes which don't mean much at all.

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Fri 23 Jul 2021 12:33
More advice from the experts - Older99

Start out with a list and now a bigger one... thats the great thing about this forum it makes you question your motives and ideas

So base 2015 Sandero 1.2 ok if low mileage

Ford Fiesta 1.25 82PS

Toyota Yaris petrol Mk III
Mazda 2 1.3/1.5
Suzuki Swift 1.2 petrol
Kia Picanto

2009+ Hyundai i10 1.2

..and consider buying on HP if buying from a garage

Time to do some autotrading I guess and see what I can find !

Thanks so far

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Fri 23 Jul 2021 14:14
More advice from the experts - SLO76
“ and consider buying on HP if buying from a garage”

Never buy a used car on dealer finance, it’s never competitive. A low rate bank loan will be much cheaper assuming good credit and offers greater flexibility.
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Sun 8 Aug 2021 23:29
More advice from the experts - Phil Farel

Sorry I haven't got back to people due to family illness

She has decided to limit her spend to about £2500, petrol, sub £200 tax and avg mpg 45+

She likes the i20, i10, picanto(1.2) so far. Exc tax/mpg and easy for her to insure

When she searched for fiestas (1.4 upwards) there were a lot of cat c cars or poorly maintained based on mot history.

She still likes the sandero 1.2 but the ncap rating is only 3 stars

She totally understands any economical car is not going to have the torque of the gti even though it is old but she doesn't want anything too slow


Happy to have any comments..

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Sun 8 Aug 2021 23:37
More advice from the experts - SLO76
“ She still likes the sandero 1.2 but the ncap rating is only 3 stars”

Forget Ncap at this money, you’re far safer in a well kept 2 star car than in a faulty and worn out 4 star car. Ncap is largely irrelevant anyway, a car that scored 4 stars when it arrived in say 2006 may score only 1 later in its production life. It’s no less safe, it’s just technology and expectations moved on.
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Mon 9 Aug 2021 09:36
More advice from the experts - Andrew-T
“ She still likes the sandero 1.2 but the ncap rating is only 3 stars”
Forget Ncap at this money,

Agreed. Unless you are a very anxious driver, only use NCAP as a tie-breaker to choose between equally acceptable models.

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Mon 9 Aug 2021 14:31
More advice from the experts - Engineer Andy
“ She still likes the sandero 1.2 but the ncap rating is only 3 stars”
Forget Ncap at this money,

Agreed. Unless you are a very anxious driver, only use NCAP as a tie-breaker to choose between equally acceptable models.

Also the Sandero is likely a newer design and thus tested to higher NCAP standards than the older cars, which means it could well be at least as safe, if not better. My 2005 Mazda3 has a 4* rating, but that is no way as safe (but not unsafe) as a 2020-21 build 4* car.

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Mon 9 Aug 2021 16:38
More advice from the experts - badbusdriver

When she searched for fiestas (1.4 upwards) there were a lot of cat c cars or poorly maintained based on mot history.

Why does she need a 1.4 in the Fiesta if a 1.2 is OK in a Picanto, i10 or Sandero?.

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Tue 10 Aug 2021 20:14
More advice from the experts - Phil Farel

no reason...quite right to point that out...

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Wed 11 Aug 2021 23:58
More advice from the experts - Phil Farel

I think they are very similar but what about a used kia picanto, hyundai i10 as cheap used hatchbacks but also decent motorway runners ?

Thanks

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